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The Business Times (Singapore)
November 13, 2003
Catering to the trendy, well-heeled
- and the gay
By ANDREA TAN AND DANIEL BUENAS
High tea party at Lincoln Modern targeted at gay and
lesbian singles and couples a first
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(SINGAPORE) Simon Cheong's Lincoln Modern project
has broken new ground - for the first time in
Singapore, and probably Asia, a property developer
is openly targeting its project at the gay community.
Mr Cheong's SC Global and Fridae, which bills
itself as Asia's Gay + Lesbian Network, are jointly
organising a 'special exclusive viewing' of the
Newton condominium for the gay community. Singles
and couples in the gay and lesbian community in
Asia will be invited to the Sunday high tea party
on Nov 23.
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Apart from this, a private viewing can also be arranged
through marketing agent Colliers International.
Owning a piece of Lincoln Modern does not come cheap.
The 30-storey, 56 'ultra-modern' units are designed
by Chan Soo Khian of SCDA Architects. The two-bedroom
units are priced at $1.3-1.5 million while three bedrooms
go for $1.4-1.8 million, or an average price tag of
$1,100 per square foot.
The project was first released at the end of 2000
at just under $1,200 psf average. There are 33 units
left.
Commenting on its marketing tack, an SC Global spokesman
told BT: 'We have a duty to our shareholders to reach
out to all segments of the market and to maximise the
sales of our development, and it would include this
community.'
The Lincoln Modern is targeted at the 'trendy, glamorous
and well-heeled urbanite'. Fridae said on its website
that strong interest has been recorded by gay and lesbian
individuals, expatriates and affluent Singaporeans.
'The Lincoln Modern as a product was conceived as a
recognition that singles and couples who want housing
that is well designed and fits their expectations of
quality and lifestyle,' the SC Global spokesman added.
'We're just trying to reach a very specific segment
of the market with this product. There's a very good
match here.'
Lincoln Modern is inspired by the late architect Le
Corbusier's signature interlocking system and has a
six-metre high loft space in the living areas.
Are there plans for such future events for other SC
Global developments like The Ladyhill and BLVD at Boulevard?
'We have no organised marketing programme to target
this community specifically,' the spokesman said.
Other developers which have attracted the gay community's
attention have been very discreet about their marketing
activities.
'We don't particularly target this segment but a lot
of the projects that we've done appeal to this group,'
said property agent Hampden managing director Michael
Ng. 'We do see quite a lot of alternate lifestyle people
coming by. It's modern city-living in happening locations
and near amenities.'
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